''The Last Temptation'' is the thirteenth solo studio album by American rock singer

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

, released on July 12, 1994, by Epic Records. It centers on a boy named Steven (also the name of the protagonist in Cooper's earlier work, '' Welcome to My Nightmare''), and a mysterious showman. The showman, with apparent supernatural abilities, attempts with the use of twisted versions of

morality play The morality play is a genre of medieval and early Tudor drama. The term is used by scholars of literary and dramatic history to refer to a genre of play texts from the fourteenth through sixteenth centuries that feature personified concepts ( ...

s to persuade Steven to join his traveling show, "The Theater of the Real - The Grand-est

Guignol Guignol () is the main character in a French puppet show which has come to bear his name. It represents the workers in the silk industry of France. Although often thought of as children's entertainment, Guignol's sharp wit and linguistic verve ha ...

!", where he would "never grow up". The album once again features collaborations with some high-profile guests:

Chris Cornell Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave ...

Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yama ...

co-wrote and sings on two songs, Dan Wexler of Phoenix metallers

Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...

co-wrote four songs including the single "Lost in America" where he also plays guitar, and Derek Sherinian of Dream Theater plays keyboards.

Comic

The full story was given in a three-part comic book written by Neil Gaiman, the first part of which accompanied the recording. In the comic, the showman (referred to only ever as such) was depicted as Cooper himself. Pages from the comic are seen in the ''

Lost in America ''Lost in America'' is a 1985 American satirical road comedy film directed by Albert Brooks and co-written by Brooks with Monica Johnson. The film stars Brooks alongside Julie Hagerty as a married couple who decide to quit their jobs and travel ...

'' music video, while it is being read by Steven. It was originally published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

and later reprinted by

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops know ...

, collected as trade paperback.

Video

Music videos were made for "Lost in America" and "It's Me". Both music videos are available for download from Sony/BMG.

Reception

Barry Weber of allmusic.com wrote, "By the time ''The Last Temptation'' was released in 1994, the hair band fad that had fueled Cooper's return was dead, and Cooper was obviously aware of its downfall – the album sounds almost nothing like its two predecessors (1989's ''Trash'' and 1991's ''Hey Stoopid''). Far surpassing anything Cooper recorded in almost 20 years, ''The Last Temptation'' is unquestionably some of his best work."

Live performances

Although Epic did not finance a tour and Cooper consequently did not tour ''The Last Temptation'', four of the album's songs – “It’s Me”, “Lost in America”, “Cleansed by Fire” and “Sideshow” – were incorporated into Cooper's setlist from the time of his first appearance on the ''

Monsters of Rock Monsters of Rock was an annual hard rock and heavy metal music festival held in Castle Donington, England, from 1980 to 1996, taking place every year except 1989 and 1993. It later branched into other locations such as the Netherlands, Poland, ...

'' circuit in September 1995. Although “It’s Me” was dropped after four performances, the other three songs remained a regular part of setlists until the end of the ''Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper'' tour in 1999, and were joined by “Nothing’s Free” on the “School’s Out for Summer ‘97” tour. However, with the exception of “Lost in America”, which has remained a frequent part of setlists excluding the first three quarters of the 2012 to 2015 “Raise the Dead” tour,setlist.fm
‘Lost in America by Alice Cooper setlist statistics’
/ref> nothing from ''The Last Temptation'' has been performed live from 2000 onwards.

Track listing

Personnel

– vocals * Stef Burns – guitar, background vocals * Greg Smith – bass, background vocals * Derek Sherinian – keyboards, background vocals *

David Uosikkinen David Uosikkinen (born February 11, 1956) is an American drummer and Internet content manager, best known for being a member of rock band The Hooters. Early life Born in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, U.S., Uosikkinen grew up in Levittown, Penns ...

– drums ;Additional personnel *

– vocals on "Stolen Prayer" and "Unholy War" * Dan Wexler – guitar on "Lost In America" * John Purdell – keyboards on "You're My Temptation", "Lullaby" and "It's Me" * Lou Merlino – background vocals * Mark Hudson – background vocals * Craig Copeland – background vocals * Brett Hudson – background vocals

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Last Temptation, The Alice Cooper albums 1994 albums Albums with cover art by Dave McKean Rock operas Comics based on musical groups Comics by Neil Gaiman Epic Records albums Concept albums Albums produced by Duane Baron Albums produced by John Purdell Albums produced by Andy Wallace (producer)